Bharwa Karela | Stuffed bitter gourd

This is my DH's fav dish. Actually he likes bitter gourd and he likes it stuffed. I have tried different stuffings, but this one came out really well. To keep the nutritional value I haven' t used much oil but the dish was amazing. You can actually cook with less oil, it is just that it requires patience as it takes a little longer. Do try this even if you dont like bitter gourd coz Im sure that you will change your opinion about this veggie. Happy cooking...

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd/Karela - 4 medium sized
Besan/Chickpea flour/kadalai maavu - 4 tbsp heaped
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Aamchur powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds/Saunf - 1 tsp (crushed)
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

For the gravy

Onions - 1
Tomato - 2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Peel and make a slit in the bitter gourd. Remove the seeds.

 Rub bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and keep aside for atleast 2 hours. 

In a kadhai, add all the ingredients mentioned for the filling(except oil and salt). Roast the mxiture until brown and raw smell goes away.  Now add salt to taste 

 

Fill this mixture in the bitter gourd. Tie the gourd with a clean thread tightly. 

 

In a kadhai, add oil and the tied gourds. Cook the gourds until just done. 

Heat oil in kadhai and add onions. Cook till onions are little browned.

Now add chopped tomatoes. 

Once tomatoes are mushy, add the remaining besan filling, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery powder and salt. Add water as required and cook until the gravy comes together.

Remove the thread from the bitter gourd and add them to the gravy.

Peel and make a slit in the bitter gourd. Remove the seeds. Rub bitter gourd with salt and turmeric and keep aside for atleast 2 hours. 
In a kadhai, add all the ingredients mentioned for the filling(except oil and salt). Roast the mxiture until brown and raw smell goes away.  Now add salt to taste and fill this mixture in the bitter gourd. Tie the gourd with a clean thread tightly. 
In a kadhai, add oil and the tied gourds. Cook the gourds until just done. 

For the gravy:

Heat oil in kadhai and add onions. Cook till onions are little browned. Now add chopped tomatoes. Once tomatoes are mushy, add the remaining besan filling, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, jaggery powder and salt. Add water as required and cook until the gravy comes together.  Remove the thread from the bitter gourd and add them to the gravy. Cook for about 2 minutes while gently turning them over. 
Serve hot with phulkas.

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